Clothes-washing attachment for vehicles



J. L. GRANT CLOTHES WASHING ATTACHMENT FOR VEHICLES Dec. 21 1926.

Filed Nov. 2, 1925 INVENTOR JL- Gran Z ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 21, 1926.

: U T t JOSEPHYL. GRANT, OF CHICAGO, ILL INOIS.

CLOTHES-WASHING ATTACHMENT F03 VEHICLES.

' Application filed November 2, 1925. Serial 110, 66,380.

10 as soap and Water, will cause the thorough washing of the clothes through the motion given to the device by the movement of the vehicle over the road.

A further object'of my invention is to provide a' simple washing device of the typedes scribed, which can be readily attached to or removed from a vehicle, and which is so arranged as to have an oscillatory movement to throw the clothes and the wash water so first toward one end and then the other of the washing device.

A further object is to provide a device of the type described, in which the means for holding the cover on also comprises a compensating means for normally keeping the devicein a horizontal position, but which will give readily to permit it to tilt, so as to cause the movement of the wash water back and forth.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following specification. and the novel features of the invention will be particularlv pointed out in the appended claims.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming part of this application, in which Figure 1 is a side view of the device as applied to the running board of an automobile,

Figure 2 is an enlarged section substantially along the line 2--2 of Figure 3,

Figure 3 is an end View of the device with the spring removed, certain portions being shown in section, and r Figure 4 is a fragmentary section through the casing at right angles to the section shown in Figure 2.

In carrying out my invention,-I provide a casing consisting of a box-like portion 4, which is preferably made of metal, such as pressed steel, but which may be made of any suitable material. In order to strengthen the device. I preferably provide a rolled head 5 at the upper edges, this head having a stiffening wire disposed therein. The box or casing, as shown in the drawings, is pref erably. oblong, and has atheach end an L-shaped flange 7 projecting inwardly, the purpose of this flange being explained later.

The bottom and the sides of the box are provided with corrugated sheets 8, along which. the clothes are designed to move in the washing operation. 1

On the underside of the casing is a rounded hollow trunnion 9, which is preferably made of a semi-cylindrical piece of metal having flanges 10 by means of which it is secured to the bottom. The semi cylindrical portion 9 has openings for permitting the entrance of stop pins 11 carried by a base portion 12. These openings are slightly larger than the pins, so as to permit the oscillation of the casing on the trunnion, p

The base is preferably a wooden or metal plate. It is provided with resilient cushions or stops 13 underneath the ends of the easing. Clamps 14 are used to secure the base to the running board 15. The clamps are provided with screws 16 which hold the base firmly in position.-

Thecover 17 has a flange 18 arranged to enter the upper portion of the box so as to' permit the cover to rest on the bead 5. At each end of the'c'over is an extension 19 having an opening throughwhich a book 20, attached to a spring 21. may enter, the opposite end of the spring being secured to an eye 22 carried by the base.

From the foregoing description of the various parts of the device. the operation thereof may be readily understood. Normally, as stated, the base is held on by the clamps 14. By loosening the hooks 20, the

casing may befimmediately lifted from the stop pins 11, and the cover removed, and the casing filled with clothes and with water containing soap or other wash ingredients. When the cover is placed and the casing is placed on the stop pins, the books 20 may be attached, and the casing is counterbalanced so as to remain substantially in a horizontal position when the vehicle is at rest. This is due to the springs 21, whose compensating action is such that when the ,vehicle 18 1n motion, it will oscillate on the hollow trunnion 9, and will cause the'water, together with the clothes, to rush toward one end and ing out at the ends The springs, it will be observed, have a double function, for they Wardly at the ends.

hold the cover securely in position, and, at

the same time, counterbalance the device, so

that it Will oscillate easily in either direction by the movement of the automobile over the vToad. The stops 13 tend to cushion the force of the oscillating casing as it moves down- While I have'shown the interior of the casingas being of the arrangement specified, it is obvious that other interior arrangements might be made, Without departing from the invention.

arranged to receive said pins, whereby the casing is adapted to oscillate about said pins, a cover for said casing, and springs having one of their ends attached to the base plate and their other ends attached to the cover for holding the latter to the casing, and for counterbalancing the casing in a normally counterbalancing the casing in a normally horizontal position. v

3. A washlng devlce comprlsmg a base,

spaced apart alined trunnion pins carried by sald base, a casingihavmg a hollow trunnion extending transversely along the bottom thereof and having openings arranged to receive said pins, a cover for the casing having extensions at the ends thereof, counterbalancing springs secured to said base and adapted to be secured tothe extensions of the cover for holding the casing normally in a parallel position with respect .to the base, and cushion members carried by the base for cushioning the impact of the casing when the latter is tilted on its trunnion.

JOSEPH L. GRANT, 

